Guardians of Kandrakar
The Guardians of Kandrakar are a group of five, magical warriors chosen to protect Kandrakar, the center of the universe. Each Guardian rules over one of the four basic elements of nature: fire, water, earth, and air. The leader rules over the fifth element, quintessence, and acts as the keeper of the Heart of Kandrakar, the magical pendant that fuels the Guardian's powers, which is transmitted to the Heart via the Aurameres (the physical representations of the Guardians' powers). The Aurameres grant the same powers to each of their guardians; for instance, powers held by Irma would also have been possessed by Cassidy. Known Members Current Guardians *'Will Vandom:' The Guardian of Quintessence and Guardian of the Heart of Kandrakar. *'Irma Lair:' The Guardian of Water. *'Taranee Cook:' The Guardian of Fire. *'Cornelia Hale:' The Guardian of Earth. *'Hay Lin:' The Guardian of Air. *'Rebecca Rudolph:' Orube briefly served as Taranee's replacement, although she was given no elemental powers. She left after the 3rd saga was ended, but continued living in Heatherfield. Previous Guardians *'Cassidy:' The former Guardian of Water. She was also briefly the Keeper of the Heart. *'Halinor:' The former Guardian of Fire. *'Yan Lin:' The former Guardian of Air and the final Keeper of the Heart. *'Kadma:' The former Guardian of Earth. *'Nerissa:' The former Guardian of Quintessence and the former Keeper of the Heart. Powers and Abilities *'Spell Casting:' The power to cast spells; a "spell" being the word used to signify the means employed to carry out a magical action. **'Charms:' Spells that alter an object's inherent qualities (i.e. its behavior and capabilities). For example, a spell to become invisible or change its color can be considered a charm. Glamours are another type of charm that change one's appearance to look like another person, though it can also be used to change a person's age or clothing; unlike shape-shifting, glamour spells creates an illusion around the body, whereas shape-shifting causes a physical change. The Guardians can generate a force-field like shroud which renders them invisible. Irma was also able to change the color of her dress to blue, whereas Nerissa made frequent use of glamours. **'Transfiguration:' Spells of this nature alter an object's form or appearance. Irma was able to transform a boy into a toad after he tried to kiss her. **'Curses:' Truly malevolent acts of magic, whose intent is to affect the target in a strongly negative manner. Nerissa claimed to have cast a devastating curse on two talismans that allowed folding and she cast an infatuation spell on the boys at Heatherfield. *'Tele-transportation:' In order to travel to another place in the same world, each Guardian can teletransport. Teletransporting is a difficult ability to learn and one can materialize into another solid object if not careful enough. If a Guardian teletransports while not connected to an Auramere or a Heart than they will drain their life force. *'Limited Shape-shifting:' Using the Heart of Candracar, the Guardians can magnify their powers and alter their appearance to their benefits. When the Guardians transform, they change form, height and grow wings. Their wings originally did not grant them the ability to fly, not until they received their new powers. *'Elemental Powers:' Each of the five Guardians possess power over one of the five classical elements: water, fire, earth, air and energy. Also, the Guardians can combine their powers together and create a beam of concentrated mystical energy from their hands.It Begins The Guardians can also become one with their dragon (or the powerful nymph Xin Jing, in the case of the Guardian of Quintessence and Keeper of the mystical Heart of Kandrakar) and literally become their element while increasing all of their elemental abilities to their zenith of strength. But this is risky and rather dangerous because it costs them their humanity and they could be easily controlled and enthralled. Each of the five Guardian's powers are derived and drastically strengthened via the mystic temple by Kandrakar, transmitted to the Heart via the Aurameres (the physical representations of the Guardians' powers). The Aurameres grant the same exact elemental powers to each of their guardians; for instance, powers held by Irma would also have been possessed by Cassidy. *'Regeneration:' According to the Oracle, the nymph Xin Jing gifted the Guardians with the power of regeneration to allow them to withstand the physical strain of transforming from one state to another. Apparently, every time the Guardians are touched by the power of the Heart of Kandrakar, they become stronger; they are afforded supernatural longevity (e.g. this allowed Yan Lin to serve as a Guardian for longer than any ordinary mortal could have) and little physical imperfections disappear overtime (e.g. Taranee's eyesight also improved because of this gift).Issue 027: Divided The Oracle also states that this gift can be refused. Weaknesses *'The Aurameres:' The Guardian's powers are derived from the Aurameres, and should these objects be destroyed they will be rendered powerless. *'Mortality:' Despite their mystical attributes, the Guardians are still human and share many of the same weaknesses as non-supernatural beings (e.g. age, blood loss, suffocation, etc.). However, the Guardians can get around this weakness through the use of magic. *'Magic:' The Guardians are susceptible to the powers of magic. This is inclusive of mystical objects such as the Star of Threbe.''The Stone of Threbe'' * Overexertion: It has been shown that if a Guardian uses their elemental powers and is not connected to an Auramere, it will drain their life force, making them much weaker. This may be why Nerissa aged so much faster than the rest of "C.H.Y.K.N.". * Team Balance: Yan Lin reveals that when the Guardians argue and are not united, their powers lose strength and they are more vulnerable. Trivia *While male guardians were never confirmed to exist in the animated series, the comics did make mention of men having been guardians. **Althor was revealed to be have been a guardian himself, prior to being a member of the Council of Kandrakar. **During the Core of Kandrakar special, it was shown that a team of all male guardians existed in the past. *Originally, despite all the members of W.I.T.C.H. having possessed wings, only Hay Lin could fly. **In the TV series, all five guardians could fly, though the Hay Lin was the most gifted flyer. *In the first season of the animated series, the Guardians were named the Guardians of the Veil. Later in the second season, they are referred to as the Guardians of the Infinite Dimensions. *In the animated series, before striking their ending poses during the transformations, all the guardians call out the names of their elements. **Will was initially an exception to this, as she exclaimed Keeper! or the Heart! prior to the reveal of her elemental power in K is for Knowledge; she cries out Quintessence! from that episode onward. *Despite Irma claiming that the Guardian's couldn't cast spells in Divide and Conquer, the Guardians were described as doing so in the comics, and Nerissa and Yan Lin seemed to have cast spells in the television series. *A Guardian can become a "Quinto-Guardian," which has the powers over the five elements: Water, Fire, Earth, Air and Quintessence. A Quinto-Guardian can gain the power to create solid ice out of thin air as with liquid water. The only known Quinto-Guardians are Cornelia (temporarily via the merged Aurameres) and Nerissa (by using her Seal). References See also Category:Guardians Category:Kandrakar